Sweet Talk by Cara Bastone

Acknowledgments

To Tara Gelsomino, one day I’ll have a marching band show up on your doorstep and then you’ll finally have an idea of just how thankful I am to/ for you. For now, just know that I truly mean it when I say thank you for answering my Sunday afternoon texted questions, for gently nudging me when I’ve forgotten to email someone back, for being the best ideas-bouncer-off-er there ever was. To Allison Carroll, your reaction to this book will be forever in my mind. You allowed me to get excited and ambitious about this story. Before you it was merely a project that I thought was working. You showed me the sparkle. Thank you. To Kate Byrne and Jill Cole and, honestly, the entire team at Headline, I really hit the jackpot. Every day I work with this team is another day that I am grateful to work with this team. What a group of hardworking and positive people. Thank you for your attention to detail, creative vision, and constant professionalism. I am so grateful to you all! To my mom, who has read every word I’ve written since I was (literally) just learning to hold a pencil, I love you, your constancy has made it possible for me to take the risks I needed to take in order to get where I am today. To my dad who brags about me at any/every opportunity, remember the 10 year plan, you’ll reap your rewards then. To my Sands family, thank you for not taking my texting skills personally, for celebrating me, for supporting me, for seeing me. To my Ambro family, thank you for being proud of me and loving me and allowing me to grow up and change. I love you. And lastly, to Jon and Frankie, you two are there each step of the way. Literally. Our evening dog walks are the happiest part of my day, everyday. Thank you for listening, for sharing your lives with me. Our unit is what I am proudest of. I love you.